1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a three-dimensional combination toy, and more specifically relates to an improved three-dimensional combination toy in which different combinations of pictures or numbers may be produced by moving blocks in three dimensions.
2. Prior Art
Puzzle games derived from two-dimensional picture-combination or number-combination puzzles in which the movement of blocks may be in three dimensions, and which are played by rotating eight blocks installed around a central part four blocks at a time about any of three axes so that different combinations of pictures, patterns or numbers provided on the surfaces of the toy may be produced, are known as rotary combination toys, and an example of such a puzzle game has been described in Japanese Pat. No. 55-8193.
Such prior art combination toys allow patterns formed on three faces of each block in the toy to be successively combined. Accordingly, the combinations which can be produced are much more complex than the combinations which can be produced with conventional flat combination puzzles. Thus, interesting puzzle games suited to the ability of the players (i.e. with tasks ranging from the simple task of producing a specified combination on one face of the toy to the difficult task of producing specific combinations on all six faces of the toy) can be provided. However, prior art combination toys of this type suffer from the following drawbacks: The shapes of the individual parts of the toy are complicated and assembly is difficult, and furthermore, since it is difficult to assemble the toy with all the blocks in their correct positions on the central part of the toy, relatively skilled personnel are required for assembly of the toy.